Page 15 of Furever Bound
"How much has Maddox told you about our work?" Sera asked, testing Elena's familiarity with details she shouldn't know.
"Enough to understand that you've made some fascinating discoveries about local manifestation patterns," Elena replied, her academic mask slipping enough to reveal something predatory underneath. "Particularly regarding Grimjaw folklore and its correlation with community stress indicators."
Sera's stomach clenched with the realization that Elena knew specific details about research they'd conducted privately, suggesting either Maddox had shared more than he'd indicated or Elena had access to information through other channels.
"That's very specific knowledge for someone who just arrived," she observed, studying Elena's reaction.
"Academic networks share information quite efficiently when interesting phenomena develop," Elena said with diplomatic smoothness. "Folklore manifestation is a specialized field, and news travels quickly among researchers."
"Folklore manifestation," Sera repeated, noting how Elena used the same terminology Maddox had employed. "Is that the academic term for what's been happening around Hollow Oak?"
"Among other things," Elena smiled with the kind of calculated evasion that suggested she knew far more than she was willing to reveal. "Tell me, have you noticed any unusual responses to your documentation activities? Electronics behaving strangely, perhaps? Residents reacting to your presence in unexpected ways?"
The questions felt like fishing expeditions designed to extract information rather than casual academic curiosity, and Sera realized she was being interviewed by someone whose motivations remained suspiciously unclear.
"Some minor equipment glitches," she admitted cautiously. "Nothing that couldn't be explained by mountain weather or mineral deposits."
"Of course," Elena agreed with tone that suggested she didn't believe natural explanations for a moment. "Though sometimesphenomena that appear technological actually have more... complex origins."
"Complex how?"
"That depends on one's openness to possibilities that exist beyond conventional scientific paradigms," Elena replied with academic diplomacy that revealed nothing while implying everything.
Sera's phone pinged with another notification about her Grimjaw content. The engagement numbers had climbed even higher, with several new comments from people claiming to be en route to Hollow Oak for paranormal investigation.
"Popular content," Elena observed, studying Sera's phone screen with obvious interest. "How many people are planning to visit based on your documentation?"
"I don't know," Sera said, realizing that Elena's knowledge about social media engagement suggested she'd been monitoring the posts. "Several, apparently."
"Several people coming to investigate folklore that's currently..." Elena paused delicately, "experiencing unusual activity levels. How concerning."
The implication that Sera's content success was creating actual danger made her stomach twist with guilt and confusion, especially when Elena's tone suggested she understood risks that hadn't been properly explained.
"Should I be concerned about people visiting?" Sera asked directly, abandoning diplomatic conversation in favor of honest questions.
"That depends on how much Maddox has told you about what really happens when folklore attracts concentrated attention," Elena replied, her academic mask dropping entirely to reveal something calculating underneath. "And how much you're prepared to learn about the true nature of the community you've been documenting."
12
MADDOX
Returning to the inn to find Elena conducting an unauthorized interview with Sera sent anger racing through Maddox's system like wildfire. His mate was being interrogated by someone whose true agenda remained dangerously unclear, and the careful emotional distance Elena maintained while probing for sensitive information made his wolf snarl with territorial rage.
"Elena," he said with enough authority to make both women look up sharply. "I wasn't aware you were conducting independent research."
"Academic curiosity," Elena replied smoothly, rising from her chair with predatory grace. "Sera's been telling me about her fascinating documentation methods."
The way she said Sera's name, with just enough condescension to suggest intellectual superiority, made his protective instincts flare with barely controlled violence.
"Has she," he said, studying Sera's tense expression for signs of how much Elena had revealed or extracted during their conversation.
"Dr. Vasquez has been asking about my social media engagement," Sera said, her tone carefully neutral despite the wariness in her hazel eyes. "Apparently my content success is more significant than I realized."
"Significantly dangerous, actually," Elena interjected with academic precision. "When folklore documentation attracts this level of concentrated attention, the psychological and cultural implications can become quite complex."
"Complex how?" Sera asked, looking between them with growing frustration at cryptic explanations that danced around direct answers.
"Elena," Maddox said warningly, recognizing the setup for revelations that could expose their entire community if delivered without proper context.
